Casa Adobe de San Rafael facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Casa Adobe de San Rafael |
|
|---|---|
Casa Adobe De San Rafael in 1895
|
|
| Location | 1330 Dorothy Dr, Glendale, California CA 91202 |
| Area | 1.6 acres |
| Built | 1865 |
| Designated | Oct. 31, 1935 |
| Reference no. | 235 |
| Reference no. | historic landmark #42 |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
The Casa Adobe de San Rafael is one of the oldest homes in Glendale, California. This historic house has been used continuously since it was built in 1865. It was named a California Historical Landmark (No. 235) on October 31, 1935.
Contents
The Story of Rancho San Rafael
In 1784, a man named José María Verdugo asked the governor of Alta California for a special land grant. This grant was for a large area of land. It was one of the very first and biggest land grants given in California.
The land grant was called Rancho San Rafael. It covered about 36,403-acre (147.32 km2) of land. This area included parts of the San Rafael Hills. It also bordered the Los Angeles River and the Arroyo Seco. Today, this land is in Los Angeles County, southern California.
Who Built Casa Adobe?
Later, parts of the large Rancho San Rafael were sold. Tomas Avila Sanchez, who was the Sheriff of Los Angeles County, bought 100 acres of this land. In 1865, he built the beautiful adobe home we now know as Casa Adobe de San Rafael. An adobe home is made from sun-dried earth bricks.
In 1867, Tomas Sanchez married Maria Sepulveda. Maria's stepfather gave her 100 acres of land. Maria and Tomas then built Casa Adobe de San Rafael. It is about half a mile from where the original Verdugo Adobe once stood. Today, the site of the original Verdugo Adobe is where Hoover High School is located.
Tomas Sanchez lived in Casa Adobe de San Rafael until he passed away in 1882. Maria and her family continued to live there for a few more years. Maria later sold the Casa and her 100 acres of land to Andrew Glassell for $12,000. After the sale, Maria and her family moved to Los Angeles.
Saving a Piece of History
Over the years, Casa Adobe was sold several times. By the 1920s, the old home was in poor condition. Women's community groups in Glendale became concerned. They asked the City of Glendale to help save the historic house.
In the early 1930s, the City of Glendale bought the property. This included the house, its gardens, and many eucalyptus trees. The eucalyptus trees on the property grew from seeds. These seeds were a gift from Phineas Banning. He had received them from a missionary in Australia.
The home was carefully restored in 1932. The City of Glendale then created the San Rafael Association. This group was formed to help care for Casa Adobe. The San Rafael Association decorated the house to look like it would have in the late 1800s. The park grounds around the house cover 1.6 acres.
Visiting Casa Adobe Today
Today, you can visit Casa Adobe de San Rafael. Each December, a special event is held there. It is called Fiesta de las Luminarias, which means "Festival of Lights." There is also a Christmas Open House during this time.
